Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus made his decision Thursday. Quarterback Justin Fields and healthy starters on both sides of the ball will play Saturday in the preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field.
Eberflus wasn’t ready to say how much, noting that the coaching staff planned to have a thorough discussion to determine the snap-count range.
Might Eberflus do as he did in the 2022 preseason finale and turn his starters loose for the entire first half? If that temptation is there, Eberflus said he also would consider which players are available, how the depth chart stacks up and where the coaches feel like the offense stands with its preseason progress.
“All that needs to be looked at to make that decision,” he said.
The primary goal is for starters to bank more game-speed reps before Week 1. Eberflus hopes to see a smooth operation against the Bills.
“Can we do a good job with the game environment when we’re all in there?” he said. “Can we operate? Can we be efficient?”
Fields was certainly efficient in his seven-snap outing against the Tennessee Titans two weeks ago, completing all three of his passes for 129 yards with two touchdowns. Now he’ll get another dress rehearsal to gear up for the regular season and an opportunity to display his pocket poise, processing speed and playmaking ability.
“It’s being able to function with his receivers, the offensive line and tight ends,” Eberflus said. “Just to get that efficiency down, whether it’s for a short period of time or a longer period of time. … This will be live reps. It’s all the things that comes with the game. The physicality of it, the speed of it.
“Even though it’s preseason, these are going to be game reps. So it’s important to get some of those in.”
The extent of Fields’ playing time Saturday might be affected by the injury toll to the starting offensive line. Rookie right tackle Darnell Wright missed his second consecutive practice Thursday with a right ankle injury and doesn’t figure to play Saturday.
Left guard Teven Jenkins could be out into October with a leg issue. Veteran right guard Nate Davis has been in and out of practice — mostly out — since training camp began. Lucas Patrick was sidelined again Thursday with an undisclosed injury.
And Cody Whitehair, who has been dealing with a hand issue since last week, should be healthy enough to play Saturday but has begun a transition from center to left guard this week.
Left tackle Braxton Jones seems to be the last man standing up front and expressed his eagerness for full-speed, full-contact action Saturday.
“You prepare for the best out there,” Jones said. “Whatever time you do get, it’s really just get the play call and do your job … and get ready to go for Week 1 against Green Bay.”
Other starters or notable contributors who didn’t practice Thursday and seem doubtful for Saturday’s game include wide receivers Chase Claypool, Velus Jones Jr. and Dante Pettis; safeties Eddie Jackson and Jaquan Brisker; and defensive end DeMarcus Walker.
Tight end Cole Kmet, who exited practice Wednesday for undisclosed reasons, was back on the field and cleared for a full workload.
“He’s all squared away,” Eberflus said.
Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds has been a limited participant the last two practices after an injury layoff of nearly three weeks. His availability for Saturday’s game against his former team is up in the air.
“We feel good about where he is,” Eberflus said. “And we’ll see where it goes.”